ElBaradei: Iran has not totally rejected nuclear fuel plan International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Friday that he believes that Iran has not totally rejected his agency’s nuclear fuel plan, but that time was running out. “The ball is now in Iran’s court. DPA/ Reuters

IAEA inspectors revisit disputed Iran nuclear site U.N. inspectors revisited Iran’s second uranium enrichment facility on Thursday, diplomats said, after voicing concern that Tehran’s belated disclosure of the nuclear site meant more may be hidden away. Reuters

France rejects Iran’s new demand on nuclear program France would not accept any new demand from Iran over its nuclear program, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, a day after the Islamic republic rejected an international proposal to resolve the issue. Xinhua

Iran Imperils Western Nuclear Deal Iran’s foreign minister appeared to renege on a pact that the U.S. had hoped would curtail the Islamic Republic’s ability to build a nuclear bomb, dealing a blow to the Obama administration’s efforts to try to resolve the West’s standoff with Tehran. WSJ/ AFP

Turkey presses Iran on uranium compromise Turkey will continue efforts to persuade Iran to ship its low-enriched uranium abroad to allay international fears over its nuclear ambitions, the foreign minister said on Thursday. RIA-NOVOSTI

Six world powers to meet on Iran nuclear deal Representatives of the six major powers negotiating with Iran over its nuclear programme will meet in Brussels later on Friday. BBC/ WP/ Guardian/ AP

Defense Ministers to Discuss Iran, Proliferation at Security Conference U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his counterparts from several other nations are expected to discuss nuclear proliferation, Iran and other international issues at a security conference next week in Canada, Agence France-Presse reported GSN/ RIA-NOVOSTI

Other Nuclear News

US Envoy to Visit N. Korea on Dec. 8 U.S. President Barack Obama announced Thursday he would send U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth to North Korea for direct talks on December 8, naming a date for the mission for the first time. Koreatimes/ RIA-NOVOSTI

Panel Sees No Need for A-Bomb Upgrade In a new report, a secretive federal panel has concluded that programs to extend the life of the nation’s aging nuclear arms are sufficient to guarantee their destructiveness for decades to come, obviating a need for a costly new generation of more reliable warheads. NYT

Smoke rises from Japan nuclear plant Smoke rose on Thursday from the world’s largest nuclear power plant in Japan, which was shut down by an earthquake two years ago, but the operator said no-one was injured and there was no radiation leak. AFP

Opinion and Analysis

Talking tactics for the US on Iran Guardian

Outlook for tough Iran sanctions is dim AP

From Russia with disdain WT

Unfair to portray India as a nuclear villain The Star

Sell AECL to India Nationalpost

Splitting the cost Economist

Iran refuses to send uranium abroad Iran has ruled out sending its enriched uranium abroad for further processing, saying it would prefer to purchase the required fuel from other countries and keep its low-enriched uranium. AlJazeera/ NYT

U.S. warns Iran of consequences over standoff U.S. President Barack Obama issued a strong warning to Iran on Thursday of consequences of its failure to respond to the offer of a nuclear deal and could have a package of steps to take “within weeks.” Reuters/ Press TV

New sanctions on Iran to target LNG technology The West intends to use Iran’s planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry as part of a new wave of sanctions to punish Tehran and bypass objections at the UN. The Times

UN inspectors to visit Iran’s second uranium plant UN inspectors were expected to visit Iran’s controversial second uranium enrichment plant on Thursday, a day after Tehran rejected a Washington-backed nuclear fuel deal. AFP

Iran threatens IAEA ahead of inspection of new site An Iranian diplomat threatened Wednesday to withhold cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s probe of a new nuclear site if the IAEA pushes too hard for information, participants at an agency meeting in Vienna said. DPA

World ‘not quite’ at point of getting tough with Iran: US The United States said Wednesday that the international community was “not quite” at the point of switching from trying to engage Iran to pressuring it over its suspect nuclear program. AFP

Rafsanjani: Give us N-fuel or we will produce it The chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council says Tehran will continue its nuclear enrichment program if the West does not provide the Islamic Republic with nuclear fuel. Press TV

Call From Assisi for Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy A renewed call for the peaceful use of nuclear energy came from Assisi on Tuesday. There, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) received an honorary doctorate from Italy’s University of Perugia. Zenit

Other Nuclear News

Obama Ready to Help A Non – Nuclear North Korea U.S. President Barack Obama said he was willing to help North Korea repair its economy and end decades of international isolation if Pyongyang stopped a cycle of threats and finally moved toward nuclear disarmament. Reuters

Pakistani nuclear scientist said to affirm Post article’s accuracy A leading Pakistani newspaper said Wednesday that the former director of Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear program had affirmed a recent account in The Washington Post of the country’s nuclear dealings with China, saying the account was accurately based on a letter that Abdul Qadeer Khan said he sent to his wife. WP

Terror file highlights risk of nuclear deal with India The timing couldn’t have been worse. Canada and India are in what both countries believe are the final stages of negotiating an agreement that would let us sell them civil nuclear technology. The Globe and Mail

India and U.S. to resolve remaining issues on nuclear deal The U.S. and India will attempt to close the nuclear agreement by trying to resolve the remaining issues, including reprocessing, during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s four-day visit to Washington beginning on Saturday, U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer told newspersons here on Wednesday. The Hindu

Smoke rises from Japan’s nuke plant, no radiation leak Smoke rose on Thursday from the world’s largest nuclear power plant in Japan, which was hit by a deadly earthquake two years ago, but the operator said no-one was injured and there was no radiation leak. AFP

Opinion and Analysis

Iran nuclear deal collapses. Time for US to get tough? CSMonitor

The nuclear option The Economist

Iran Says UN Watchdog Has Cleared Nuclear Program Iran’s nuclear envoy denied Tuesday that the U.N. inspectors’ tour of its recently revealed uranium enrichment site has turned up any evidence that the Islamic republic is seeking nuclear weapons. AP/ Reuters

US says time ‘very short’ for Iran on nuclear deal Iran faces a “very short” window to submit its formal response to a U.N.-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday. Reuters

IAEA revisits Syria reactor in uranium traces probe U.N. inspectors revisited a Damascus nuclear research reactor on Tuesday to take more swipe samples after judging Syria’s initial explanation for uranium traces found there to be doubtful. Reuters

US wants ‘credible explanation’ for Syrian uranium The United States on Tuesday said it hopes for a reasonable explanation from Syria on how traces of uranium were found at a nuclear research reactor in Damascus. AFP

Other Nuclear News

Lavrov: Bushehr delay not political Russia has denied reports that a delay in launching Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant is linked to a meeting between Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama. Press TV

North Korea’s nuclear plans cloud Obama in Seoul U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for talks that will focus on how to tempt North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks and a delayed trade pact between Seoul and Washington. Reuters

Nuclear installations safe: Manmohan A day after nuclear installations were put on high alert following inputs that terrorists might target them, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh allayed fears about their safety. The Hindu

Canada, India move closer on nuclear co-operation deal Prime Minister Stephen Harper called India “a stable and reliable friend” and said he has no hesitation in making a deal that would give India access to Canadian nuclear technology. CanWest News Service

Opinion and Analysis

Analysis: Iran’s Ahmadinejad seen backing nuclear deal Reuters

Why China Isn’t Willing to Get Too Tough on Iran TIME

Is Iran dropping Russia for Turkey? The Guardian

Would Russia really use nuclear weapons against neighbors? CSMonitor

Inspectors Fear Iran Is Hiding Nuclear Plants International inspectors who gained access to Iran’s newly revealed underground nuclear enrichment plant voiced strong suspicions in a report on Monday that the country was concealing other atomic facilities. NYT/ FT/ WP/ Tehran Times/ WSJ/ The Guardian

IAEA sees risk Iran hiding more nuclear activity The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog is concerned that Iran’s belated revelation of a new uranium enrichment site may mean it is hiding further nuclear activity, an agency report said on Monday. Reuters/ AP/ Bloomberg/ AFP

Iran: IAEA report refuted West’s Fordo claims The Islamic Republic says the latest report by the UN nuclear watchdog proved West’s huge media hype against Iran’s second enrichment plant were based on ‘baseless allegations’. Press TV

Iran wants nuclear fuel swap to take place on its own soil In the clearest statement to date of Tehran’s attitude to the U.S.-backed proposal for a nuclear fuel swap as a step towards building trust with Washington, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said his government will take a positive view of the plan provided the exchange of enriched uranium takes place “inside Iran.” The Hindu

‘Iran will only deliver its uranium after receiving nuclear fuel’ Senior Presidential Advisor Parviz Davoudi has said that Iran will only deliver its 3.5 percent enriched uranium after it receives the 20 percent enriched uranium in exchange. Tehran Times

Obama says China agrees on Iran nuclear transparency China agrees that Iran must show its nuclear program is peaceful and transparent, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday after meeting Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing. Reuters

IAEA deepens Syria atom probe over uranium traces Syria’s initial explanation of uranium traces U.N. inspectors found at a Damascus atom research reactor is unconvincing and they will take more samples in a deepening probe, the International Atomic Energy Agency said. Reuters/ DPA

US seeks India’s promise on non-proliferation The Obama administration has asked for an “assurance” from India on nuclear non-proliferation, even as the two sides attempt to conclude a deal on reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives in the US on an official visit. The Economic Times

UAE-US nuclear deal becomes a reality The historic agreement between the UAE and the US on the peaceful development of nuclear energy is now a reality, Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, confirmed. Khaleej Times

Sterile Insect Technique can play a vital role in malaria elimination The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), the release of sexually sterile male insects to wipe out a pest population, is one suggested solution to the problem of malaria in Africa. A new supplement, published in BioMed Central’s open access Malaria Journal, reviews the history of the technique, and features details about aspects of its application in the elimination of malaria. BioMed Central

Other Nuclear News

Nuclear installations put on alert Nuclear power centres in the country, particularly the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Trombay, were put on alert on Monday following intelligence inputs that terrorists might target them. The Hindu

Opinion and Analysis

FACTBOX-IAEA key points on second Iran enrichment site Reuters

Iran’s Nuke Standoff and Ahmadinejad’s Woes TIME

Russia changes stance on Iran Ria Novosti

Q&A: Iran and the nuclear issue BBC

Beating Kim at His Own Game NYT

Obama’s ‘nuclear option’ on China’s yuan CSMonitor

Obama presses Iran on atomic deal, Tehran defiant President Barack Obama said on Sunday time was running out for diplomacy in a dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme, but a top Iranian official said it was up to the West to show it sincerely wanted a deal. Reuters/ LATimes

Ahmadinejad says Western pressure empowers Iran An impasse in nuclear talks between world powers and Iran would only hurt the West by making Tehran push harder to advance its technology, according to the latest remarks by the Iranian president. AP/ Reuters

Turkey open to storing Iranian uranium While Iran has not publicly responded to a UN suggestion that it temporarily store some of its uranium abroad, Turkey’s willingness to cooperate is a positive sign for the West. Deutsche Welle

Iran elaborates options over nuclear fuel issue As the West refuses to heed Iran’s concerns over their nuclear fuel proposal, a senior Iranian lawmaker says the Islamic Republic prefers to purchase the needed fuel. Press TV

Post-Saddam Iraq demands right to nuclear power Vilified as a nuclear bomb-seeking threat to world peace before the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime, Iraq now wants access to civilian nuclear power for its economic and energy needs. AFP

Korea Gains as Nuclear-Plant Bidder South Korea is emerging as an unexpected contender in the global race to build nuclear-power plants, turning up as a finalist for one of the industry’s most-coveted projects. WSJ

Other Nuclear News

France’s Kouchner pessimistic on Iran uranium deal Iran appears set on rejecting a U.N.-drafted deal with world powers designed to deny it the means to produce nuclear weapons-grade uranium, French Foreign Bernard Kouchner said in comments published on Sunday. Reuters

Russia Delays Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Station Russia on Monday said it would not start a nuclear reactor at Iran’s Bushehr atomic power station by the end of the year as planned, citing technical reasons. Reuters

U.S., Russian leaders say nations closer to deal to cut nuclear arms Russia and the United States are well on their way to reducing their nuclear stockpiles, President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Sunday. CNN

Nuclear Deal to Top Agenda of Canada PM’s India Visit Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s three-day visit to India from Sunday will be dominated by talks over a nuclear deal and new trade pacts in a bid warm a relationship that turned frosty when Ottawa cut off atomic trade after New Delhi’s 1974 nuclear test. IANS

Opinion and Analysis

Alliance and North Korea Korea Times

Diplomats: Iran nuke plant 7 yrs old Iran’s recently revealed uranium enrichment hall is a highly fortified underground space that appears too small to house a civilian nuclear program, but large enough to serve for military activities, diplomats told The Associated Press on Thursday. AP

Turkey says willing to store uranium from Iran Turkey would be willing to store enriched uranium from Iran, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Friday, responding to a United Nations suggestion that Iran send its low-grade enriched uranium to a third country. Reuters/ Today’s Zaman

In Egypt, Debate Grows Over a Successor to Mubarak The independent press has nudged several Gamal alternatives into the limelight in recent weeks, including the Nobel Peace Prize winning head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei, Nobel Laureate chemist Ahmed Zewail, and Amr Moussa — a popular former foreign minister and current head of the Arab League. TIME

Other Nuclear News

A nuclear power’s act of proliferation In 1982, a Pakistani military C-130 left the western Chinese city of Urumqi with a highly unusual cargo: enough weapons-grade uranium for two atomic bombs, according to accounts written by the father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, Abdul Qadeer Khan, and provided to The Washington Post. WP

Pakistanis Worry About US Nuclear Intentions In Washington, the ultimate Pakistani nightmare is that the country’s nuclear arsenal could fall into the hands of Taliban militants or rogue soldiers. In Islamabad, though, talk of nuclear weapons taps into a very different fear: Washington. AP

Disagreement in Middle East over Iran’s nuclear program A TV debate in Qatar shows sharp divisions over whether Iran can be trusted not to build a nuclear bomb. Perhaps most surprising is the sympathy shown for Tehran. LATimes

Hatoyama, Obama to release joint nuclear disarmament statement Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and U.S. President Barack Obama will reiterate their intent to pursue a world without nuclear weapons following their summit meeting Friday, government officials said. The Mainichi Daily

US-Russia nuclear talks hit snag: report Talks between Moscow and Washington to replace a key nuclear disarmament treaty that expires next month have hit a snag over proposed restrictions on Russian missiles, a newspaper said Thursday. AFP

Russia to produce new nuclear reactors by 2014 – Medvedev Russia will produce next-generation nuclear reactors and new types of nuclear fuel by 2014, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday. Ria Novosti

Nuclear scars: Tainted water runs beneath Nevada desert The state faces a water crisis and population boom, but radioactive waste from the Nevada Test Site has polluted aquifers. LATimes

Opinion and Analysis

Tehran Turmoil Clouds Prospects for Captive U.S. Hikers TIME

Splitting the cost The Economist

U.S. Official Says IAEA Has Evidence Iran Sought Atomic Warhead A U.S. arms-control official said today there is “strong evidence” Iran sought to develop the means to put a nuclear weapon on a missile prior to 2003 and perhaps afterward. Bloomberg

West trying to trick Iran to relinquish its nuclear fuel: MP A top lawmaker said on Tuesday that the West is trying to trick Iran to relinquish its nuclear fuel. Tehran Times

Other Nuclear News

Israeli General Says Readying All Options on Iran Israel is readying all options to try to force Iran to halt its atomic program, Israel’s top general told a parliamentary panel on Tuesday, an official said. NYT

Israel’s Peres says Brazil can help curb Iran Israeli President Shimon Peres has urged Brazil to use its growing voice on the international stage to help curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and support for militant Reuters

US denies Pakistan nuclear report The US government has rejected a report that Washington has a team ready to secure Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal due to fears that the country is unstable. AlJazeera

Indo-Russian tieup to get nuclear boost The UPA government in its second term seems to be working on re-energising the strategic partnership with Russia. The sheen had gone off the bilateral relationship in the first term of the UPA, with the government focussing just on the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal. The Economic Times

Malaysia Evaluates Nuclear Energy Programme Post-2020 The Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry is evaluating the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity with the cooperation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, the Dewan Rakyat was told Wednesday. Bernama

Opinion and Analysis

Trust is the issue with Iran Gulf News

Is Russia playing both sides on Iran nukes? CSMonitor

ANALYSIS – Ahmadinejad serves up bitter-sweet world view Reuters

Nuclear alone won’t keep the power flowing The Times

A bright nuclear future: true or false? The Guardian

Iran rejected proposal to give its enriched uranium to Turkey Iran rejected proposal to give its enriched uranium to Turkey, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a press conference at Ceylan International Hotel in Istanbul after COMCEC summit, APA Turkish bureau reports. APA/ Bloomberg/ Press TV

Obama: hard for Iran to make quick decisions An unsettled political situation in Iran may be complicating efforts to seal a nuclear fuel deal between Tehran and major world powers, President Barack Obama said on Monday. Reuters

U.S. says can give Iran time to okay nuclear deal The United States is willing to give Iran time to decide whether to accept a U.N.-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions it is after atomic bombs but which has drawn Iranian objections, a U.S. diplomat said Monday. Reuters

Iran can’t be trusted on the nuclear issue: Doha Debates A lively session of the Doha Debates yesterday narrowly defeated a motion that said Iran could be trusted in its claims regarding the nuclear issue. The Peninsula

Pakistan ‘doesn’t need help’ to guard nukes: general Pakistan’s military chief on Monday said that his country did not need any foreign help in guarding its nuclear facilities because they were already well protected. AFP

Other Nuclear News

Clinton Urges Iran to Accept U.N. Nuclear Offer U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday urged Iran to accept a U.N.-drafted proposal to have uranium for a medical reactor enriched abroad. Reuters

Obama will send top diplomat to North Korea for direct talks President Obama has agreed to send a senior U.S. diplomat to North Korea for the first direct talks with the government there in more than a year, hoping the mission will lead to the renewal of multi-nation negotiations designed to end its nuclear program. WP

Cedars-Sinai finds more patients exposed to excess radiation Cedars-Sinai Medical Center officials said Monday that 260 patients had been exposed to high doses of radiation during CT brain scans during an 18-month period, up from the hospital’s original estimate of 206 in September. LATimes

Power for U.S. From Russia’s Old Nuclear Weapons What’s powering your home appliances? For about 10 percent of electricity in the United States, it’s fuel from dismantled nuclear bombs, including Russian ones. NYT

Opinion and Analysis

Iran’s top-down unity The Guardian

Iran Nuclear Talks Could Fail in Final Week ABC News

Just How ‘Secret’ is Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program? Foreign Policy

Energy policy: Atomic dreams The Guardian

Going Nuclear The Times

ElBaradei Suggests Turkey as Compromise on Iran Nuclear Impasse Iran’s enriched uranium could be shipped to Turkey as a means of easing U.S. and European concerns over the Persian Gulf country’s nuclear ambitions, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency said. Bloomberg/ Press TV

Iran Is Said to Ignore Effort to Salvage a Nuclear Deal The Obama administration, attempting to salvage a faltering nuclear deal with Iran, has told Iran’s leaders in back-channel messages that it is willing to allow the country to send its stockpile of enriched uranium to any of several nations, including Turkey, for temporary safekeeping, according to administration officials and diplomats involved in the exchanges. NYT

Iran’s first priority is buying uranium for Tehran reactor Iran will only exchange its low-enriched uranium after it receives the 20 percent enriched uranium promised in the latest nuclear deal, a leading lawmaker said on Sunday. Tehran Times/ AlJazeera

Iran’s Jalili wants nuclear enrichment deal ‘quickly’ Tehran’s chief nuclear negotiator said Sunday he wants to reach agreement “as quickly as possible” on a UN-brokered plan to provide Iran with enriched uranium for a Tehran reactor, state television said. AFP

Medvedev Says Russia May Back Sanctions on Iran if Deal Falls Apart President Dmitri A. Medvedev said Russia might back sanctions against Iran if the Iranians did not take a “constructive position” on an international plan to temporarily diminish their stockpile of enriched uranium. NYT/ Der Spiegel

Iran, North Korea top Clinton’s overseas agenda Nuclear impasses with Iran and North Korea are the dominant issues for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her trip to Europe and Asia, which begins with a stopover in Germany to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s fall. AP

Other Nuclear News

Defending the Arsenal In an unstable Pakistan, can nuclear warheads be kept safe? The New Yorker

Pakistan rejects unsecured nukes report Pakistan angrily defended the security of its nuclear arsenal Sunday after a U.S. magazine reported that the Obama administration wants Pakistan to let Washington help secure its weapons in a crisis. CNN

Medvedev: Arms control deal with US can be reached Russia and the United States have a good chance of reaching a new nuclear arms reduction deal before year’s end, but other nuclear powers must join disarmament efforts, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in remarks released Saturday. AP

U.S. officials optimistic about new nuclear treaty with Russia After months of negotiations with Russia, Obama administration officials are hopeful about a breakthrough — possibly this week — that would enable the two sides to sign a successor to their most extensive nuclear weapons treaty before it expires Dec. 5. WP

Germans press for removal of US nuclear weapons in Europe Pressure is growing within Nato for the removal of the remaining US nuclear weapons on European soil, and for a new doctrine for the alliance that would depend less on nuclear deterrence. The Guardian

Labour backs nuclear option on energy Plans for a huge expansion of nuclear power were to be set out by the government on Monday, as it publishes an energy strategy designed to smooth the way for new power stations and other large infrastructure projects. FT

Britain’s nuclear strategy threatens destruction of Kalahari The hidden cost of Britain’s new generation of nuclear power could be the destruction of the Kalahari desert in Namibia and millions of tonnes of extra greenhouse gas emissions a year, the Observer has discovered. The Observer

Radioactive waste to be put in £18bn hole Radioactive waste from a new generation of British nuclear power stations will be buried deep underground in a storage facility that could cost up to £18 billion to build, under plans to be announced by the Government today. The Times

Swiss Open Probe of al-Qaida Nuke Physicist Case Switzerland has opened its own investigation into the case of a nuclear physicist France suspected of al-Qaida links, an official said Sunday. AP

Opinion and Analysis

Matter of compromise Gulf News

Iran’s ‘Great Satan’ addiction WP

Bunkers or Breakthrough? In his last month as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei finds himself at the explosive crux of the world’s nuclear politics, ferrying messages between the Obama administration and Tehran. “They are talking through me,” he says. NYT/ Reuters

U.N. head: Timing key to Iran nuclear deal The outgoing head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said a question of timing is the top issue delaying a nuclear deal between Iran and international powers. CNN/ CNN Video/ CNN Video/ Reuters

IAEA in the News

Iran tested advanced nuclear warhead design – secret report The UN’s nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian has learned. The Guardian

Iran holding up nuclear deal with demand for reactor fuel, diplomat says Iran is demanding full delivery of reactor fuel before it gives up its stash of low-enriched uranium and has balked at further efforts to hold international talks on its nuclear program, according to a senior European diplomat. WP

Clinton urges Iran to accept nuclear offer as it is US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday urged Iran to accept unchanged a UN-drafted deal with global powers on its nuclear program. AFP

US, EU ask India, others to embrace NPT, CTBT In a renewed bid to pressure India and other non-signatories, a summit of the United States and the European Union has asked all these nations to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) “as non-nuclear weapon States” to achieve universality. Daily Pioneer

Indo-French deal gives assurance for lifetime supply of nuclear fuel for French reactors The Indo-French Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, signed by the two countries in Paris on September 30, 2008, explicitly allows for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from French nuclear reactors under safeguards, and gives assurance for lifetime supply of nuclear fuel for these reactors. The Hindu

Other Nuclear News

Russia welcomes “constructive” U.S. proposals on new START treaty The U.S. has made “constructive” proposals to Russia on a nuclear arsenal cut deal, raising hopes of reaching a new accord to replace the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) that expires Dec. 5, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday. Xinhua

France, Poland sign nuclear cooperation accord France and Poland signed a technical cooperation accord in nuclear power on Thursday but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was too early to say whether French firms would be partners in its planned reactor. Reuters

Opinion and Analysis

Tehran gains time WP

Iran: Too divided for nuclear deal? BBC

The deal that was not Haaretz

Analysis: German nuclear policy skirts a taboo Reuters

FACTBOX: Nuclear power plans in Europe Reuters

Japan must take cautious approach toward use of nuclear fuel The Mainichi Daily News

Iran wants to be seen as regional power: ElBaradei Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran says is only intended to generate electricity, is an attempt to force the world to acknowledge it as a regional power, U.N. nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on Wednesday. Reuters/ CSMonitor/ AFP/ WSJ

Kouchner hardens stance against Iran’s nuclear dallying French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner warned Iran on Wednesday that Western powers would not wait “until the end of the world” for the Islamic Republic to give an official response to a UN-brokered nuclear deal. AFP

Expert Says U.S. Could Use Cold War Strategy to Prevent Iran From Producing Nukes The United States might have to adopt a “mini Cold War” strategy to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a leading arms control expert said yesterday GSN

Iran ‘not intimidated’ by sound of sanctions As Washington scrambles to assemble tougher sanctions against Tehran, a senior Iranian lawmaker assures that the country will never be ‘intimidated’ into giving up its nuclear rights. Press TV

Nuke negotiator heads to U.S. to discuss N.K. Wi Sung-lac, the nation’s top nuclear negotiator, yesterday headed for the United States to discuss Washington’s upcoming meeting with North Korea, which is expected to be a prelude to future discussions on ending the North’s nuclear weapons programs. The Korea Herald

Other Nuclear News

Russian, U.S. officials discuss new arms control deal Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle have discussed a new arms control agreement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Ria Novosti

Multilateral Input Needed on German Plan for U.S. Nukes, NATO Head Says Germany should accept outside input in deciding whether to demand the withdrawal of U.S. nuclear weapons from its territory, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday GSN

India worried about Pak N-control With the Taliban unleashing a series of attacks on Pakistan’s defence installations, including a military base linked to its strategic programme, there is growing worry about Islamabad’s ability to safeguard its nuclear arsenal. The Times Of India

India, EU to sign deal on civil nuclear energy this week The European Union and India are likely to sign an agreement on civilian nuclear energy, dealing with India’s participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, during the India-EU summit that takes place this week. The Economic Times

Japan nuke plant starts using controversial fuel A Japanese nuclear power plant on Thursday started using recycled mixed-oxide or MOX fuel from a controversial shipment from France that arrived in the country amid protests in May. AFP

Kansai Electric May Extend Lifespan of Atomic Reactor Kansai Electric Power Co., Japan’s second-largest utility, is seeking to extend the lifespan of a 39 year-old nuclear reactor instead of replacing the unit. Bloomberg

Opinion and Analysis

Iran’s nuclear diversion WP

The US must cajole Iran into a nuclear deal FT

Nuclear rainy day Haaretz

Iran looks to Argentina for nuclear fuel Asia Times

Iran Bill Could Force Obama Toward Sanctions Truthout

‘A World Without Nuclear Weapons’ Might Still Be Possible The Huffington Post

Nuclear waste: Coming to a town near you? CNN

ElBaradei asks Iran for quick response on nukes The head of the U.N. nuclear agency urged Iran on Monday to clarify its response to a U.S.-backed proposal that would have Tehran ship most of its nuclear material abroad for processing. AP/ Bloomberg/ Reuters

Iran wants new nuclear fuel talks Iran wants more talks on a U.N.-drafted nuclear deal and to import atomic fuel rather than send its own uranium abroad for processing, a Iranian diplomat said, suggesting terms world powers are likely to rebuff. Reuters/ DPA/ Press TV

Clinton tells Iran to adhere to plan Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday urged Iran to stick to an agreement to ship low-enriched uranium abroad for processing for use in a Tehran research reactor, after a senior official Iranian official said his country wants to instead purchase nuclear fuel. WP/ AlJazeera

Britain, Russia, others urge Iran to respond to uranium proposal Britain, Russia and their international partners want a “prompt response” from Iran on a uranium enrichment proposal, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Monday. CNN

France warns Iran: Avoid delay tactics France will not accept any delaying tactics by Iran over a UN-brokered proposal to enrich its nuclear fuel abroad, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Monday. Reuters

Iran’s Military Power Subject to New U.S. Study Used for China Iran’s military will be subject for the first time to the kind of U.S. assessment reserved for China’s expanding forces as lawmakers seek a more accurate analysis of the Persian Gulf oil power’s strengths and strategy. Bloomberg

US used “false pretext” to invade Iraq in 2003, ElBaradei says Outgoing UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei criticized the United States on Monday for using a ‘false pretext’ to invade Iraq, costing ‘the lives of possibly hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.’ DPA

Other Nuclear News

N Korea ‘has extracted plutonium’ North Korea has completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods to extract weapons-grade plutonium, according to its official news agency. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) added that “noticeable successes” had been made in turning the extracted material into weapons grade plutonium. BBC/ AFP

North Korea Presses U.S. to Agree to Bilateral Talks North Korea has again pressed the United States for a decision about starting bilateral talks, with a diplomat warning Monday that the North was “ready to go our own way” with its nuclear weapons program. NYT

UK demands Russia deliver polonium killing suspect Britain’s visiting foreign secretary pressed Russia on Monday to turn over the main suspect in the 2006 killing of former Russian security agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died from radioactive polonium poisoning in a London hospital. AP

Opinion and Analysis

Iran’s Politics Stand in the Way of a Nuclear Deal NYT

Tehran risks overplaying its hand in nuclear talks FT

When No Means No WSJ

Iran nuclear program: Clock is ticking as uranium collects CSMonitor

Iran seeks guarantees in nuclear proposal Press TV

How Israel Destroyed Syria’s Al Kibar Nuclear Reactor Der Spiegel

Iran seeks review of nuclear deal Iran has said it wants the UN’s nuclear watchdog to establish a committee to review a deal aimed at easing Western fears over its nuclear programme. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the country had passed a request to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) two days ago. Mr Mottaki said Tehran had “some technical and economic considerations”. BBC / AP / Washington Examiner

In Iran, opposition to uranium plan grows Senior Iranian lawmakers yesterday rejected a UN-backed plan to ship much of the country’s uranium abroad for further enrichment, raising more doubts about the likelihood that Tehran will finally approve the deal. AP

Nuclear fuel deal favors Iran: Russian ambassador The Russian ambassador to Tehran Alexander Sadovnikov said that the proposal of enriching Iran’s low grade uranium abroad benefits Iran. “Receiving Iran’s low grade uranium for making reactor fuel is an honest proposal which will favor Iran and help solve the Iranian nuclear issue,” the official IRNA news agency quoted the Russian ambassador as saying on Sunday. Xinhua / AFP

Netanyahu Backs Nuclear Deal That Iran Rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Friday cautiously endorsed the American-backed efforts to limit Iran’s nuclear program through shipments abroad of its enriched uranium. He made his remarks as an intensive Middle East diplomatic effort got under way, with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton due here on Saturday. NYT

Turkey’s PM: First give up nuclear weapons to impose Iran sanctions Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that countries opposed to Iran’s atomic programme should give up their own nuclear weapons and described the sanctions imposed on his neighbour as arrogant. World Bulletin

IAEA’s offer meets Teheran’s needs – French Foreign Ministry The International Atomic Energy Agency’s offer to Iran meets that country’s needs, the French Foreign Ministry said on Friday. ITAR-TASS

Other Nuclear News

Russia-U.S. weapons talks on track: Kremlin adviser Russia and the United States are on track to sign a new deal to reduce their arsenals of nuclear weapons by the time a previous agreement expires next month, a Kremlin aide said at a policy conference in Morocco. Reuters

North Korea Says U.S. Must Make the Next Move in Nuclear Talks North Korea said the United States must make a decision on talks between the two countries, a condition set by the regime in Pyongyang to rejoin multilateral negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear weapons program. Bloomberg / CNN

N. Korea appears to have restored plutonium-generating plant: officials North Korea has apparently restored its facility used to produce weapons-grade plutonium at its main nuclear complex that had been mothballed under a six-nation accord, officials here said Monday. Yonhap

In rural India, resistance to nuclear plants Standing precariously on the thin edge of a newly dug well, Ajitbhai Narela looked out proudly at his groundnut and mango saplings. WP

Maryland gives Constellation deal a yellow light – Nuclear sale contingent on energy firm, French giant offering rebate, aid Regulators appointed by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced Friday that they have offered conditional approval to let Constellation Energy Group sell nearly half its nuclear assets, including those in Calvert County, to French energy giant EDF in a move designed to lead to construction of the first new commercial nuclear reactor project in the United States in more than three decades. WP

Uranium industry at the crossroads In the ocean of Australia’s mineral exports, uranium makes up more than a drop – but not much more. The minerals industry shipped about $160 billion in commodities last financial year, and less than 1 per cent of that was uranium. But the story of uranium has never been just about the money. And as the global dash for supply heats up, whipped up by predictions of a doubling in the world’s nuclear power generators in the next 40 years, one question is set to become more pressing: what will happen to the politics of yellowcake? Brisbane Times

Opinion and Analysis

Iran in no hurry to cut nuclear deal AP

Why Iran Loves Ambiguity The Daily Beast

Iran’s unlovable opposition WP

Talking with Iran — and sending a message LA Times

Why does the US insist on playing Iran’s game? JPost

On Nuke Disarmament, It’s Still “You First” IPS

Clinton Reasserts Her Role in U.S. Foreign Policy WSJ

IAEA Team Back From Iran Inspection A team of U.N. nuclear inspectors returned Thursday from a visit to a previously secret Iranian uranium enrichment site and their leader expressed satisfaction with the mission. AP/ Reuters

Iran has delivered response on nuclear fuel deal to IAEA, report says Iran on Thursday handed over its response to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna to a nuclear fuel deal drafted by the U.N. atomic watchdog, state-owned Arabic language Al-Alam TV said. AFP/ BBC

Iran poised to respond to global offer on its nuclear programme Iran is expected to respond today to a crucial international offer regarding its nuclear programme, amid concerns among world powers that it will not accept a deal to transfer about two- thirds of its current stock of low-enriched uranium to France and Russia. FT/ Reuters

Iran Offers Nuclear Cooperation but No ‘Retreat’ From Rights After days of uncertain signals, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran said Thursday that conditions now existed for “cooperation” with world powers on its nuclear program, but he insisted that his government would not retreat “one iota” from what he termed undeniable nuclear rights, according to news reports. NYT/ Reuters/ Press TV

Iran’s Mousavi criticises nuclear fuel plan – website Opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi has sharply criticised the outcome of Iran’s talks with world powers this month, making clear he was against a proposal to send enriched uranium abroad, a reformist website reported. Reuters

Iran to propose two amendments to IAEA deal: report Iran will propose two amendments to a UN-drafted deal under which most of Tehran’s low-enriched uranium will be sent abroad for conversion into nuclear fuel, a newspaper reported on Thursday. AFP

Iran nuclear sanctions ‘unlikely’ Further sanctions against Iran over its nuclear plans are unlikely, a senior Russian official has said. President Dmitry Medvedev’s adviser Sergei Prikhodko said sanctions on Iran “are unlikely in the near future”, Russian news agencies reported. BBC

Israel: Iran’s uranium deal insufficient Israel said Thursday that the US-, French- and Russian-proposed uranium exchange deal with Iran would only delay by one year Tehran’s alleged progress toward a nuclear weapon. DPA

UN chief says Iran should accept uranium plan Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged Iran on Wednesday to accept a U.N.-drafted plan to ship much of its uranium abroad for enrichment, saying it would be “an important confidence-building measure.” AP

UN approves nuclear disarmament resolution proposed by Iran The UN General Assembly on Tuesday approved a draft resolution proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran on total nuclear disarmament amid strong opposition by the major powers. Tehran Times

Experts Warn of Proliferation Dangers Posed by Laser Enrichment Technology like the kind called for at a proposed laser uranium enrichment facility in the United States could increase the threat of nuclear weapons and materials proliferation in other countries, a panel of experts warned this week GSN

Other Nuclear News

House panel OKs Iranian fuel sanctions bill A bill that would give the Obama administration power to impose sanctions on a broad array of companies involved in providing Iran with gasoline cleared a key congressional committee Wednesday. Reuters

China’s Hu Lauds North Korea, Sidesteps Nuclear Dispute Chinese President Hu Jintao told a senior North Korean official on Wednesday that ties between the two nations have reached a new level of goodwill, avoiding direct mention of the North’s nuclear dispute in his public praise. Reuters

US Security Adviser in Moscow Nuclear Arms Talks U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, opening a day of negotiations expected to focus on downsizing nuclear arsenals and the Iran issue. AP

Ridding Germany of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Tucked away in one of Germany’s finest wine regions close to the border with Luxembourg is the Büchel Air Base. Its perimeter is heavily guarded by the German Luftwaffe, or air force. NYT

German RWE pulls out of Bulgarian nuclear project German utility firm RWE is pulling out of Bulgaria’s nuclear plant project in Belene, in which it was to hold 49 percent, the government in Sofia announced on Wednesday. AFP

First Koodankulam reactor to generate power by mid-2010 The first of the two 1,000 MWe reactors of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project is expected to start generating electricity by mid-2010, according to the Station Director of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP), M. Kasinath Balaji. The Hindu

Russian Space Chief Proposes Nuclear Spaceship Russia laid out its ambition to gain an edge in the space race by building a nuclear-powered spaceship. But the plan outlined to a government meeting Wednesday left key questions unanswered, U.S. engineers were skeptical, and a Russian Greenpeace activist voiced concern. AP

Opinion and Analysis

The Next Steps on Nonproliferation Foreign Policy

Why Iran Will Push Back on the West’s Nuclear Offer TIME

Iran: Can Obama play hardball? WP

One Last Option for Securing Iranian Enriched Uranium Huffington Post

How to Keep Iran Nuclear-Free The Moscow Times

Iran Wants Big Changes to Nuclear Deal With Powers Iran wants major amendments within the framework of a U.N. nuclear fuel deal which it broadly accepts, state media said, a move that could unravel the plan and expose Tehran to the threat of harsher sanctions. Reuters/ LATimes

Compromise key to Iran nuclear deal Iran said on Tuesday that it would decide on a nuclear deal that envisages the country shipping low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia to be converted into metal fuel rods for a medical research reactor by Friday, October 30. Press TV

US expects Iran nuclear response within ‘days’ The United States said Tuesday it expected Iran’s verdict on a UN-brokered uranium deal within days, but refused to comment on Tehran’s demands for “very important changes.” AFP

Iraq goes nuclear with plans for new reactor programme Iraq has started lobbying for approval to again become a nuclear player, almost 19 years after British and American war planes destroyed Saddam Hussein’s last two reactors, the Guardian has learned. The Guardian

Other Nuclear News

U.S. set to respond if Iran defiant: Obama aide The United States will be ready to respond if Iran fails to take tangible steps soon to meet its commitments over its nuclear program, President Barack Obama’s national security adviser warned on Tuesday. Reuters

US Senate committee to vote on Iran fuel sanctions The U.S. Senate Banking Committee will vote Thursday on legislation that would impose sanctions on Iran’s gasoline suppliers in order to pressure Tehran to give up its nuclear program, the panel’s chairman said. Reuters

France Seeks Answers From Iran on Nuclear Program France said Tuesday it is increasingly exasperated with Iran’s strategy in international negotiations on its nuclear program, and pressed for a quick answer as to whether Tehran will accept a U.N. proposal aimed at defusing tension. AP

Additional U.S.-North Korea Talks Possible This Week The Obama administration yesterday did not rule out the possibility of additional informal talks this week with a North Korean envoy visiting the United States, the Yonhap News Agency reported GSN

Ex-US diplomat: Russia balks at zero nuke talks Russia is not ready to agree to a proposed new round of arms control talks that were to begin after a deal is reached on extending the START 1 nuclear treaty, a U.S. nuclear expert said Tuesday. AP

Russia says U.S. to respect its arms treaty concerns Russia expects to receive within days U.S. proposals taking into account Moscow’s concerns regarding a new strategic weapons deal negotiated by the two nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday. Reuters

Japanese Hope Obama Will Visit A-Bomb Cities Soon A speech and a Nobel prize have raised hopes in Japan that Barack Obama will become the first sitting American president to visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki, the two cities devastated by U.S. atomic bombs in World War II. AP

Vattenfall Says German Nuclear Starts to Be Subject to Politics Vattenfall AB, the Nordic region’s biggest utility, said two German nuclear plants scheduled to be restarted next year may become a political issue after last month’s general election. Bloomberg

Nuclear compensation victory for Bulgaria Bulgaria has won an extension of financial support from the European Commission for the early shutdown of nuclear power reactors at Kozloduy. WNN

Bill to Ban Foreign Nuke Waste Makes Small Advance A bill designed to keep foreign countries from disposing their nuclear waste in the United States is taking a small but significant step toward getting a U.S. House committee vote for the first time. AP

Opinion and Analysis

Analysis: US Making Plans for Iran Nuke Strategy AP

Now is not the time to let a nuclear Iran off the hook The National

ElBaradei: “Avec un accord sur le nucléaire iranien, tout deviendrait possible” L’Express

IAEA in the News

Iran hints it could ship some uranium abroad Iran hinted Monday it could agree to ship some low-enriched uranium abroad for processing as reactor fuel as the world awaited its reply on a U.N.-drafted nuclear plan aimed at easing tensions with the West. AP/ Press TV/ Reuters/ Ria Novosti

Top Iran MP against shipping uranium in one shot An influential MP on Tuesday opposed shipping Iran’s entire low-enriched uranium abroad in one batch but came out in support of a UN-drafted nuclear deal, which a colleague hailed as a “win-win” plan. AFP

UN experts inspect controversial Iran atomic plant UN experts on Sunday were inspecting Iran’s controversial second uranium enrichment plant to verify whether the newly disclosed facility was designed for peaceful nuclear purposes. AFP/ Bloomberg/ Fars News

Obama rallies support over Iran US President Barack Obama has called the French and Russian leaders to consolidate their support ahead of a key UN nuclear inspection in Iran. The White House said Nicolas Sarkozy and Dmitry Medvedev fully backed a new UN plan on Iran’s nuclear programme. BBC

Bernard Kouchner: Iran and Israel in ‘race to confrontation’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions have started a “race to confrontation” with Israel and the world’s leading powers must break the deadlock before the Jewish state “reacts”, according to France’s foreign minister Bernard Kouchner. The Telegraph

Russia calls for patience, dynamics on Iran nuclear issue A Russian diplomat on Monday urged “maximum patience” and dynamics in resolving the Iranian nuclear standoff. Xinhua

Iran would need 18 months for atom bomb – diplomats Intelligence agencies estimate that it would probably take Iran a minimum of 18 months to develop a nuclear weapon if it chose to build one, Western diplomats and intelligence officials said. Reuters

Turkish PM says West treating Iran unfairly Turkey’s prime minister accused Western powers of treating Iran unfairly over its peaceful nuclear program, in an interview Monday in which he referred to the Iranian president as a friend. AFP

IAEA delegation visits Zimbabwe A three-member International Atomic Energy Agency team is in the country at the invitation of the Government to review and advise on measures to strengthen the regulatory framework for safety and security of radiation. The Herald

Other Nuclear News

Iran officials appear split on nuclear plan High-ranking Iranian officials appear divided over a draft proposal with the United States and other countries that would transfer the bulk of the Islamic republic’s enriched uranium stockpile out of the country. WP

World powers discuss unity on Iran nuclear deal: US The United States said world powers had spoken Monday of the need to maintain united pressure on Iran as Tehran weighs a UN-brokered deal aimed at ending the crisis over its nuclear program. AFP

Iran expects Russia to honor Bushehr commitments on time Tehran expects Moscow to launch Iran’s first nuclear power plant as scheduled, the Iranian foreign minister said on Monday. Ria Novosti

U.A.E. Cabinet Backs Nuclear-Energy Accord With U.S., WAM Says The United Arab Emirates cabinet approved an atomic-energy agreement with the U.S., a necessary step to awarding construction contracts for reactors in the Persian Gulf nation, state-run WAM news agency reported. Bloomberg

Nuclear energy becomes pivotal in climate debate Once vilified by environmentalists and its future dim, nuclear energy has become a pivotal bargaining chip as Senate Democrats seek Republican votes to pass climate legislation AP

Carefully Cleaning Up the Garbage at Los Alamos No one knows for sure what is buried in the Manhattan Project-era dump here. At the very least, there is probably a truck down there that was contaminated in 1945 at the Trinity test site, where the world’s first nuclear explosion seared the sky and melted the desert sand 200 miles south of here during World War II. NYT

Opinion and Analysis

Both Iran and West Fear a Trap on Deal NYT

The Reasons Behind Iran’s Nuclear-Delaying Tactics TIME

Dickering Over Uranium WSJ

Iran and Obama’s first lesson Asharq Alawsat

Time to accept a nuclear Iran Press TV

Mr. Kim’s scam WP

Russia agrees to Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov Russia has agreed to proposals by the U.N. nuclear watchdog to help reduce Iran’s stockpile of low-enriched uranium, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. Reuters

Deadline expires for Iran uranium deal Iran faced a new nuclear deadline Friday and new international pressure to agree a uranium enrichment deal brokered by the UN atomic watchdog. AFP

Senior Iranian MP casts doubt on atom fuel deal A senior Iranian MP rejected on Thursday the idea of sending enriched uranium abroad for further processing, hinting at Tehran’s reluctance to embrace a proposal meant to ease international tension over its nuclear ambitions. Reuters

Israel Signals Concern on Iran Talks The Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, said on Thursday that Iran must cease all uranium enrichment, a statement that reflected Israeli concern over a draft agreement taking shape in Vienna, where earlier this week Iran took part in nuclear talks with the United States, Russia and France. NYT

Iran denies allegations of tensions with Israel at conference Representatives of Iran and Israel attended an international conference on nuclear disarmament last month in Egypt, but Iranian officials Thursday denied news reports that the two archenemies engaged in direct dialogue at the meeting amid conflicting accounts of heated exchanges. WP

Other Nuclear News

Suicide attacker hits Pakistani military complex A suicide bomber killed six people Friday near a military complex in northern Pakistan reportedly associated with the country’s nuclear weapons program, as the government presses on with a week-old offensive against militants in the northwest. AP

US-UAE nuclear deal to take effect soon – State Dept The United States and United Arab Emirates are finalizing a landmark nuclear power cooperation agreement now that Congress has given its tacit approval, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Reuters

Japan Probes 1960s Nuclear Agreements With U.S. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates cautioned Japan this week against letting a fact-finding mission into decades-old secret nuclear-weapons agreements affect relations between the two countries, according to an official familiar with the matter. WSJ

Opinion and Analysis

Deal or no deal? The Economist

Iran: Nuclear fission The Guardian

Iran’s smokescreen in Vienna not completely dissipated Ria Novosti

What might derail the Iran nuclear deal? CSMonitor

Iran will emerge victorious The Guardian

Will Iran nuke deal bury chances of Israeli attack? Haaretz

FACTBOX: What happens to spent nuclear fuel? Reuters

Iran, 3 powers have till Friday to OK nuclear deal The U.N. nuclear watchdog presented on Wednesday a draft deal to Iran and three world powers for approval within two days to reduce Tehran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, seen by the West as a nuclear weapons risk. CNN / Reuters/ NYT/ Press TV/ FT

Iran Envoy Backs Uranium Deal, but Will Tehran? A top Iranian negotiator praised a plan Wednesday that would ship most of his country’s uranium abroad for enrichment and limit its ability to build a nuclear weapon. There was no guarantee, however, that Tehran’s leaders would accept the idea. AP/ Tehran Times

US calls Iran nuclear fuel draft deal a ‘very positive step’ The Obama administration said Wednesday that a draft accord on shipping Iran’s nuclear fuel abroad is a “very positive step,” expecting the document to be approved here by the end of the week. AFP

Israel largely quiet on Iranian deal Israel was largely mum Wednesday on reports that Iranian negotiators had expressed support for a deal that – if accepted by their leaders – would delay Teheran’s ability to make nuclear weapons by sending most of its known existing enriched uranium to Russia for processing. Jerusalem Post/ Israel News

Iran reserves right to up uranium enrichment Iran will not renounce its right to enrich uranium to levels above five percent purity even if it strikes a deal for a third party to carry it out, the head of its Atomic Energy Organisation said in comments published on Thursday. AFP

Clinton cites nuke worry; panel fears bio attack Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday warned of dire consequences from the spread of nuclear weapons, while a special U.S. panel asserted that the more worrisome and urgent threat is terrorists attacking the United States or its allies with biological weapons. AP/ AFP

U.N. Agency Hunts For Microscopic Nuclear Clues A hotchpotch set of grey and white buildings huddled in fields outside Vienna may seem an unlikely setting for a laboratory which could help uncover illicit nuclear activity. Reuters

Israel, Iran officials met in Cairo to discuss nuke-free Mideast A representative of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission and a senior Iranian official met last month to discuss the chances of declaring the Middle East a nuclear-free zone, Haaretz has learned. Haaretz

Other Nuclear News

Gates Pledges Nuclear Umbrella to Counter North Korea U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday that North Korea poses a threat to Washington’s allies in North Asia and promised to protect them under the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Reuters

Opinion and Analysis

Iran Keeps Obama Waiting on Nuclear Deal TIME

What’s With Iran? NYT

The Iran talks we should end WP

Draft nuclear deal is a victory for Iran Haaretz

This Time, Ban the Test NYT

Nuclear disarmament Asahi Shimbun

Troubled Iran nuclear talks with 3 big powers resume Talks between Iran and three big powers resumed Wednesday after further delay over Tehran’s hesitancy to endorse a tentative deal to help defuse a long standoff over its disputed nuclear ambitions. Reuters/ NYT/ AP/ Press TV

Other Nuclear News

Gates Says US Won’t Accept Nuclear North Korea U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday the United States will never accept a North Korea with atomic bombs, saying the communist regime poses threats “even more lethal and destabilizing” than before. AP

China committed to NKorea sanctions: US envoy A top US diplomat said Tuesday that China had expressed its commitment to implementing UN sanctions on North Korea aimed at getting the isolated nation to return to six-nation denuclearisation talks. AFP

NKorea Diplomat in China Ahead of Rare Trip to US A senior North Korean diplomat stopped in Beijing en route to the United States for a rare visit aimed at laying the groundwork for direct negotiations with Washington, news reports said. AP

Clinton outlines nuke-free world US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to outline key steps Washington will take to fulfill President Barack Obama’s vision of a world free of nuclear weapons. AFP

Finland will not build three new nuclear plants Finland, which is building its fifth nuclear reactor, has yet to decide how many reactors it will need in the next decade but it will be fewer than three, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said Tuesday. AFP

Alarm as Taiwan wants to extend life of oldest nuclear plant Taiwan wants to extend the life of its oldest nuclear power plant for another 20 years, the government said on Tuesday, triggering alarm among activists who fear it could put public safety at risk. AFP

Jordan looking to export uranium by 2011 Jordan is coming up with ’strong results’ indicating the country would emerge as a key exporter of uranium by the end of 2011, Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) President Khalid Touqan said Tuesday. DPA

Opinion and Analysis

Behind Iran’s Diplomatic Snub of France TIME

Opinion: talks and terror – can the Iranian nuclear issue be resolved? Deutsche Welle

Six Wrong-Headed Cliches about Disarmament Der Spiegel

Why We Need to Test Nuclear Weapons WSJ

Iran atom talks off to “good start” despite tensions Talks between Iran and world powers on a deal to allay concerns about Tehran’s nuclear drive started well on Monday, the U.N. atomic agency chief said, despite Iran’s reported refusal to negotiate with France. Reuters/ NYT/ AP

France removed from Iran uranium suppliers France has been removed from the list of potential suppliers of highly enriched uranium for Iran, as talks are underway in Vienna between Tehran and three world powers. Press TV/ AFP

Iran says nuclear technology program to go ahead Iran will never abandon its “legal and obvious” right to nuclear technology, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Tuesday, adding that Tehran had no plan to halt its disputed uranium enrichment work. Reuters

Other Nuclear News

Any North Korea meeting must lead to six-way talk: U.S. The United States wants any bilateral contacts with North Korea to result in the resumption of stalled six-country nuclear negotiations, the top U.S. diplomat for Asia said on Monday. Reuters

U.S. Seeks to Keep Watching Russia’s Weapons With a key arms control treaty set to expire soon, the Obama administration is searching for ways to keep inspectors in Russia or else it risks losing American eyes on the world’s second most formidable nuclear weapons arsenal for the first time in decades. NYT

Lowering the alert levels in U.S. and Russia The high alert levels for U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear forces are more political statements carried over from the Cold War than military necessities for the 21st century, according to a multinational study released last week. WP

Nonproliferation panel gives up nuke cut target to below 1,000 by 2025 An international nuclear nonproliferation panel currently meeting in Hiroshima gave up Monday on making recommendations to reduce the number of nuclear warheads in the world from more than 20,000 at present to less than 1,000 by 2025, sources close to the panel said. Kyodo

Canada makes nuke deal despite the risks Trade Minister Stockwell Day will sign a treaty with Kazakhstan today that will clear Canada to export nuclear technology to the ex-Soviet republic, part of a push by the government to drum up business for Canada’s nuclear industry in Central Asia and India. CanWest News Service

Atomic Power Revival for GE, Areva Leaves Waste Puzzle Unsolved When 65 scientists met at Princeton University in 1955 to decide where to permanently store radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, their conclusion was simple: Bury it deep underground, far from earthquakes. Bloomberg

The Dilemma of Aging Nuclear Plants From the time the world’s first commercial nuclear power plants were switched on in the late 1950s, installed generating capacity rose rapidly over two decades. It leveled off in the 1980s as new building programs were scrapped in the wake of the accident at Three Mile Island, among other factors. NYT

Considering an Alternative Fuel for Nuclear Energy For decades, scientists have dreamed about turning thorium — an element that is less radioactive and produces less nuclear waste than uranium — into an alternative fuel for nuclear energy. Recent technological developments may be bringing the dream closer to reality. NYT

Opinion and Analysis

Nuclear swap WP

Why a Month Matters Foreign Policy

Iran’s nuclear disclosures: why they matter CSMonitor

U.N. nuclear chief calls for U.S.-Iran talks on nuclear dispute Direct talks without preconditions between the United States and Iran are the only solution to the conflict over Tehran’s nuclear program, the U.N. nuclear agency’s head was quoted as saying Saturday. Reuters/ Ria Novosti/ Jerusalem Post

World powers, Iran meet in Vienna on uranium deal World powers and Iran are set to meet in Vienna Monday for talks on supplying the Islamic Republic — which the West accuses of seeking to build an atomic bomb — with nuclear fuel. AFP/ The Guardian

Iran seeks to buy highly-enriched uranium A team of Iranian experts heads for the Austrian capital to discuss the terms of a deal to buy highly-enriched uranium without exchanging any of Tehran’s low-enriched uranium, Press TV has learned. Press TV

Iran says will enrich uranium if no deal in Vienna Iran will further enrich uranium itself if nuclear talks fail with the U.N. watchdog, Russia, France and the United States in Vienna on Monday, an Iranian official said. Reuters

US considering ways to accept Iran enrichment The United States is considering ways to officially announce that it has agreed to Iran’s demand to locally enrich uranium, sources say. Press TV

Talks on Iranian Reactor Deal Show Divisions on Sanctions A team of Obama administration officials, joined by officials from France and Russia, will begin negotiating in Vienna on Monday with Iranian diplomats over terms of an unusual deal that could remove a significant amount of Tehran’s low-enriched uranium from the country. WP

Other Nuclear News

Clinton Says Agrees With Russia on Iran Steps The United States and Russia agree they must consider further steps against Iran if they are unable to reach a diplomatic solution to its nuclear programme, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a newspaper. Reuters

China could bend on Iran nuclear sanctions, say experts China has repeatedly said it opposes sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, but Beijing could make concessions to protect its wider interests, especially in terms of Sino-US ties, experts say. AFP

Experts doubt effectiveness of US sanctions on Iran A flurry of congressional measures aimed at toughening US sanctions on Iran to pressure the Islamic republic to abandon its suspect nuclear program will likely have little to no impact, experts say. AFP

Chavez says Iran helping Venezuela find uranium Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday Iran is helping his country explore for uranium, but stressed his government would only use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Reuters

SKorea’s Top Diplomat Urges NKorea to Disarm South Korea’s foreign minister called North Korea’s uranium enrichment program ”worrisome” and pressed the nation Monday to take real steps toward nuclear disarmament. AP

German Nuclear Plants Get a New Lease The victory of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s new alliance in elections last month promises to extend the country’s use of nuclear power — and reignite protests among those who have fought to phase it out. WSJ

Nuclear power: The consumer always pays Model for new UK reactors reveals damaging disagreements between Finland and French contractors The Guardian

Opinion and Analysis

How Obama’s Secret Iran Talks Set the Stage for a Nuclear Deal TIME

Analysis: Washington’s overplayed hand on Russia AP

5 Myths About Iran and the Bomb WP

Obama’s Nuclear Agenda Korea Times/Project Syndicate

Nuclear power: A bung by any other name The Guardian

U.S. Considers a New Assessment of Iran Threat U.S. spy agencies are considering whether to rewrite a controversial 2007 intelligence report that asserted Tehran halted its efforts to build nuclear weapons in 2003, current and former U.S. intelligence officials say. WSJ

Quick accord sought on Iran’s uranium export World powers want Iran to agree quickly to the export of low-enriched uranium to Russia for further enrichment as it would reduce the risk of the material going for nuclear weapons, France’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday. AP

Diplomats Set to Resume Nuclear Talks With Iran Diplomats from the United States, France, Russia and the United Nations are scheduled to meet with Iranian officials next Monday, October 19, in Vienna to resume discussions about the country’s nuclear program. But VOA

Precursor to PM’s US visit: India notifies separation plan in IAEA In the run-up to PM Manmohan Singh’s first state visit to Washington in the Obama administration, India has notified its separation plan in the IAEA, which formally separates India’s civilian and military nuclear establishments. The Times of India

Other Nuclear News

Radiation Overdoses Point Up Dangers of CT Scans At a time when Americans receive far more diagnostic radiation than ever before, two cases under scrutiny in California — one involving a large, well-known Los Angeles hospital, the other a tiny hospital in the northern part of the state — underscore the risks that powerful CT scans pose when used incorrectly. NYT

China Aid Could Mar Efforts to Rid NKorea of Nukes China’s recent offer of aid to North Korea could undermine U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang and help feed a cycle of failed negotiations aimed at ending the isolated country’s nuclear program, a former U.S. negotiator said Thursday. AP

Next nuclear worry for US: Kazakhstan? So far, the former Soviet state has cooperated with the US on nuclear issues. But a new report suggests that Kazakhstan might be looking to do business with other, less responsible regimes, too. CSMonitor

French nuclear facility under scrutiny over plutonium stocks The French government demanded to know how a nuclear research facility lost track of its plutonium stocks after several previously undeclared kilos of the material were found. The Times of India

Opinion and Analysis

A Hitch in Iran’s Nuclear Plans? WP

The 3-minute video that may prove Iran’s nuclear intentions Haaretz

Beijing Is Violating North Korean Sanctions WSJ

Pyongyang duck LATimes

Russia’s Putin warns against intimidating Iran Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned major powers on Wednesday against intimidating Iran and said talk of sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear programme was “premature”. Reuters

Some See Iran as Ready for Nuclear Deal Iran says it has no plans to build nuclear weapons. Western nations say they do not believe Iran and periodically release intelligence reports that they say prove Iran has been working on building a bomb. NYT

IAEA experts checking Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on October 13 started inspections at the Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant, the information center of the Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant has reported. Interfax Ukraine

Laureates to Nobel winners: Prepare for ‘lightning bolt’ David Waller has some simple advice for anyone looking to improve morale at their organization — even if it’s not the easiest advice to follow. CNN

Other Nuclear News

Chinese Premier hails cooperation with Iran China, reluctant to isolate Iran in its standoff with the West over its nuclear program, will maintain cooperation with Tehran and foster “close coordination in international affairs,” Premier Wen Jiabao said on Thursday. Reuters

Medical isotope shortage to continue: Harper The federal government will continue to pressure the operators of a medical isotope-producing nuclear reactor to complete its repairs as soon as possible but expects health-care networks will have to brace for more challenges in the meantime, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said here Friday. CanWest News Service

India inks nuclear pact with Argentina India on Wednesday signed an agreement in civilian nuclear cooperation with Argentina, the seventh pact it has inked after coming out of isolation in the civilian nuclear field. The Hindu

Even Rabbit Droppings Count in Nuclear Cleanup Anything that hops, burrows, buzzes, crawls or grazes near a nuclear weapons plant may be capable of setting off a Geiger counter. And at the Hanford nuclear reservation, one of the dirtiest of them all, its droppings alone might be enough to trigger alarms. NYT

France suspends work at nuclear fuel plants due to plutonium excess France’s nuclear safety authority suspended work at a nuclear fuel plant after discovering it had underestimated plutonium levels. AP

German parties agree nuclear extension-officials German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives have agreed with the Free Democrats (FDP) on extending the life of nuclear plants deemed safe but the timing is unclear, FDP and conservative politicians said on Thursday. Reuters

Opinion and Analysis

Cripple Iran to save it LATimes

A step forward on Iran The Hindu

How to Engage Iran WP

Site studies begin for Aqaba nuclear plant The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) on Tuesday launched environmental and feasibility studies for the location of the Kingdom’s first nuclear power plant. The Jordan Times

Tokyo Electric May ‘Uprate’ Reactors to Boost Output Tokyo Electric Power Co., Asia’s biggest nuclear operator, may raise capacity at existing reactors to meet emissions-reduction targets set by the new government. Bloomberg

Other Nuclear News

Russia Resists U.S. Position on Sanctions for Iran Denting President Obama’s hopes for a powerful ally in his campaign to press Iran on its nuclear program, Russia’s foreign minister said Tuesday that threatening Tehran now with harsh new sanctions would be “counterproductive.” NYT/ AP

‘Nuclear threat’ to power grids Scientists have warned that Iran and North Korea could produce a weapon capable of paralysing Western electricity grids for months or years. Experts fear that a missile-launched nuclear bomb exploded above the earth’s atmosphere could cause a catastrophe. BBC

U.S. hails cooperation on North Korea, sees new steps North Korea’s neighbours and the United States are coordinating closely to draw the isolated state back to nuclear disarmament talks and reviewing possible next steps, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday. Reuters

Russia’s new military doctrine allows preventive nuclear strikes Russia’s new military doctrine does not rule out preventive nuclear strikes against potential aggressors, the head of its Security Council said on Wednesday. Ria Novosti

Australia firm on uranium exports to India: FM Australia has asked India to take part in joint military exercises but is standing firm against exporting uranium for the Asian country’s nuclear energy programme, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said. AFP

Areva May Sign India Nuclear Contract Early Next Year Areva SA, the world’s biggest maker of atomic reactors, and Nuclear Power Corp. of India may sign an agreement early next year to build India’s first large-capacity plant using overseas equipment after a global ban was lifted. Bloomberg

French government demands to know about EDF nuclear dumps in Russia The French government demanded answers from electricity giant EDF on Tuesday after reports claim the company has been sending spent nuclear fuel to Russia. RFI

Cedars-Sinai radiation overdoses went unseen at several points The dosage — eight times the programmed amount — appeared on technicians’ screens during CT scans. Doctors also missed the problem. Experts say blind trust of medical machinery is a growing concern. LATimes

US documents point to secret Japan nuclear pact Despite decades of denials by Washington and Tokyo, US officials believe they enjoyed a secret pact to transport nuclear weapons through Japan, newly declassified documents showed. AFP

Opinion and Analysis

A Russian policy shift on Iran? BBC

Analysis: Russia uses ambiguity to boost its power AP

A different regime change in Iran FT

Could an Israeli air strike stop Iran’s nuclear program? CSMonitor

A Dangerous Iran? Here’s A Plan CBS News

Hillary’s Iranian Agenda Khaleej Times

Changing North Korea NYT

Will Japan Go Nuclear? Huffington Post

UK places trade restrictions on two Iranian firms The government has ordered financial companies to stop trade with two Iranian firms, Bank Mellat and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, amid alleged nuclear links, a minister said on Monday. AFP

PM-Obama meet in mind, India and US move on n-fuel talks India has shared with the US the broad contours of setting up a dedicated national reprocessing facility to handle US-origin nuclear fuel. This is a key step forward towards concluding discussions on reprocessing before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Washington in November. Indian Express

Other Nuclear News

Clinton visits Russia to discuss Iran, nuclear treaty US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began a mission to Russia on Tuesday to advance negotiations for a new US-Russian nuclear arms treaty and seek Moscow’s help in curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. AFP

US wants bunker-buster fast, denies Iran is reason The Pentagon is speeding up delivery of a colossal bomb designed to destroy hidden weapons bunkers buried underground and shielded by 10,000 pounds of reinforced concrete AP

Security of Pakistan nuclear weapons questioned An audacious weekend assault by Islamic militants on Pakistan’s army headquarters is again raising fears of an insurgent attack on the country’s nuclear weapons installation. Pakistan has sought to protect its nuclear weapons from attack by the Taliban or other militants by storing the warheads, detonators and missiles separately in facilities patrolled by elite troops. AP

Hospital error leads to radiation overdoses After Cedars-Sinai reset a CT scan machine in February 2008, more than 200 brain scans on potential stroke patients were performed at eight times the normal dose of radiation, the hospital says. LATimes

Memo Calls for Reversing Law to Phase Out German Nuclear Plants Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives want to prolong the life of Germany’s nuclear reactors by overturning a law aimed at phasing out atomic energy by the 2020s, according to a party working document. NYT

Nuclear strategy: Ambitious plans for home and export markets The crisis and the global recession have hit demand for electricity in Russia and around the world, and led to several proposed nuclear power plants being delayed. FT

Opinion and Analysis

U.N. shifts strategy for nuclear arms control LATimes